Dia De Los Doctores

I have so much to say! It's like I can hardly channel my brain to do it. I need to do a breating excercise before I can focus enough to get all this down.

Let's start with Friday.

Friday was the "dia de los doctores" - that's right, Day of the Doctors. I had an 11 am apointment with a new dermatologist. You see, I have eczema, and have had it for years. so I have had a dermatologist or two for a long time. But my dermatologist died, and now I have been having terrible acne for about 17 months. It is the result of a hormone problem that I have (lucky me) and that I will have for life. I take medication, which helps the hormones, but not enough to stop the acne. So after trying EVERY Over the Counter thing (believe me) and spending countless money on cleansers and toners and moisturizers that I don't even get to use, I decided it's time to go to a dermatologist.

So Friday I saw Dr. Soderstrom of Soderstrom Dermatology, S.C. www.skinnews.com- I probably saw him, and another of his doctor's, for 20 minutes maximum. I am so special I got two doctors at once! And it cost $385.00 just for the consultation and then I paid another $124.00 for products (prescription and special made) to use on my face to clear it up. I got a free make-up application of Bare Escentuals "Bare Minerals" all mineral powder make-up. I have seen it before, but like Prescriptives (which I used and got tired of), thought it to be overpriced. But I did learn that cream makeups can cause infection and agitate acne prone skin. Bare Minerals is all powders, even the foundation and concealers.

I have a follow up dermatologist appointment in 3 weeks. In the meantime I will do a hot sulfur soak (Vleminckx solution) that smells like Rotten Eggs. I have to cook it on the stove each night, wearing rubber gloves, and then apply a 30 second warm compress to my face. I do this with the windows open (yes I KNOW It's 25 degrees outside) and the exhaust fan running over the stove. That shit is wicked but it works AWESOME. I also use a special "blue cleanser" for sensitive skin followed by a "light textured moisturizer" and Glycolic pads and Rezamid tinted spot treatment to kill the acne. He recommended the Zeno Device (awesome!) but since it's $250, I am waiting to see if I need it, or to at least raise the cash to buy it! Check it out at www.myzeno.com

Then at 2:30 on Friday I drove the OPPOSITE direction (from peru to Annawan) because I had a dentist appointment, for a routine cleaning and a panoramic x-ray to see what's up with my neverending wisdom teeth. Yep. They are coming out. I only have 3. One is in all the way and is fine, the other is in halfway and is mildly pushing the others... the third one is crooked a bit but still under the gumline. The dentist says "take them all out!" and I say "but what about the one that is in and okay? Why do I have to take it out?!" So now I have to go to the oral surgeon and get them removed, just another Dr. Appointment!

So Friday night I just hung around home and started my first skin treatment. Husband Cleaned the garage and some in the basement. I cleaned up around the house and all that jazz, and went to bed around 12:30am because I had to get up to go to Peru again yesterday (saturday) morning, for a free Glycolic Facial at the Dermatologist Office. First let me tell you, this dermatologist is an EMPIRE. This company must pull in so much money, it isn't even funny. They have a HUGE staff, including plastic and reconstructive surgeons. They handle everything from psoriasis and acne to breast implants, liposuction, and reconstructive surgery. It's unbelievable. They have their OWN SPA in house and they do facials, massages, manicures, and pedicures. They have a huge team of estheticians. They have THEIR OWN skincare line, their own body products line. It's insanity. They have four offices in Illinois, the largest located in Peoria.

So Saturday morning I went to Peru and waited amongst many other people for a free Glycolic Facial. I waited about an hour, but the facial only took about 10 minutes. It felt great. Afterwards I purchased the $60 starter kit for the Bare Minerals Make-up. It's a HUGE great deal, it has 2 foundations, mineral veil, warmth (like a blusher/bronzer) and a face treatment... a DVD for instruction AND all the brushes you need for application (3 total.) The brushes alone run about $28 a piece, and the foundations, warmth, and mineral veil are $20 a piece seperately. SO really it would be cheaper to buy a starter kit each time you run out, instead of new pieces. I will give it a try and see if it helps. I was due for new make-up anyway, and my almay foundation at Wal-Mart is $11, not to mention powder, blush, etc.... so it was cheaper to buy this than to go to Wal-Mart and get everything I needed.

Saturday afternoon I worked around home again, took down Halloween Decorations, put up Thanksgiving Decorations, rearranged the dining room, and vacuumed everywhere. I still have laundry and some dishes left to do.... and I need to clean my closet.

We kept Ava overnight, she was an absolute riot. She is such a big girl already! She's poising herself to crawl, and rolls all over the floor and props herself up like she is going to crawl any minute. She loves loves loves toys, and apparently chewing on her socks. She slept from 9pm till 8:48am, and when she wakes up, she is completely fine lying in the pack n play until you get to her. Which is nice, because when I hear her on the baby monitor, I can get up, take a shower or just wash my face and brush my teeth, let the dogs out, and make a bottle, and THEN go get her, and she is in there giggling and entertaining herself. Such a good baby!

We had Taco Pizza for supper last night and I embroidered a bird on a flour sack towel as the handmade item for my pink and green swap that I send out Monday. Then I started a new hoop on a flour sack towel, and am trying some more complicated stitches. Practice Practice Practice.
evening I think that my sister and I are going to Peru to shop for Christmas. I had better get moving and start laundry and take a shower.